Event ID - 257

Event Id257
SourceWDSServer
DescriptionAn error occurred while trying to start the Windows Deployment Services server.

Error Information: %1

Event InformationAccording to Microsoft:
If you move the WDS server to a different organizational unit, the WDS server may not start.

Cause:
This problem occurs because the location of the computer object that is running WDS has changed in the Active Directory directory service.

Resolution:
To resolve this problem, reinitialize the WDS server after you move the WDS server to a different organizational unit.
To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2.At the command prompt, type wdsutil /uninitialize-server, and then press ENTER.
3.Move the WDS account to Active Directory in the new organizational unit.
4. To reinitialize the WDS service, type wdsutil /initialize-server /reminst:{RemoteInstallFolder} at a command prompt, and then press ENTER.

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To resolve this issue, do the following in the specified order:
  • Restart the WDSServer service.
  • Check your Group Policy settings.
  • Resolve additional errors.
Restart the WDSServer service

To restart WDSServer:
  1. Open the Command Prompt window.
  2. Run net stop wdsserver.
  3. Run net start wdsserver.
If you continue to encounter this error, check your Group Policy settings by using the procedures in the following section.

Check your Group Policy settings

Your Group Policy settings must specify a Domain Name System (DNS) server that is inside the domain. If the DNS server is outside the domain, you must reconfigure your settings. To resolve this situation, do one of the following:

  • Set your Group Policy settings to point to a DNS server that is inside the domain (this is a requirement for running a Deployment Server).
  • Unlink the Group Policy setting that points to the DNS server so that the Windows Deployment Services server will discover the DNS server on its own.
Note: To perform these procedures, you must either be a member of the Domain Admins group or have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To set your Group Policy settings to point to a DNS server that is inside the domain:
  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management (if it is not there, you must install it by using Server Manager).
  2. Right-click the organizational unit that contains the Windows Deployment Server computer object. Click Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here. Type DNS Server Assignment Policy in the Name box. In the Source Starter GPO list, click none. Click OK.
  3. Right-click DNS Server Assignment Policy and then click Edit.
  4. In the console tree under Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates and then expand Network. Click DNS Client.
  5. In the view pane, double-click DNS Servers. Click Enabled.
  6. Type a space-delimited list of IP addresses (in dotted decimal format) in the IP Addresses box. Click OK.
  7. Click File and then click Exit. Close the Group Policy Management Console.
  8. Restart Windows Deployment Server to apply the new Group Policy object.
To unlink the Group Policy setting:
  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management (if this feature is not already installed, you must install it by using Server Manager).
  2. In the console tree, click the organizational unit that contains the Windows Deployment Server computer object.
  3. In the view pane on the Linked Group Policy Objects tab, right-click the Group Policy object that deploys DNS server settings, and then click Link Enabled.
  4. Click OK to close the Group Policy Management warning dialog box. The Link Enabled column for the selected Group Policy object displays No. This confirms that the Group Policy object is not linked.
  5. Close the Group Policy Management Console.
  6. Restart Windows Deployment Services to remove the affects of this Group Policy object.
Verify

To verify that the state of the WDSServer service is active:

  1. Open Computer Management (click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management).
  2. Expand Services and Applications, and then click Services.
  3. Verify that the status of Windows Deployment Services Server is Started.
Note: Alternatively, you can run sc control wdsserver 130 at a command prompt and verify that the state is equal to 4.

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Reference LinksWindows Deployment Services server may not start after you move the server to a different organizational unit

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